Wind and Rain
by longkang
Summary: Update 10th June. Chapter 9 is up. With that, this fic is complete. No epilogues or anything. Its done.
1. Prologue

Prologue

Tokiya Mikagami sat down in front of his computer and decided to check his email. It had been a tiring day for the doctor. He had spent half the day operating on a kid who got knocked down by a car.

_At least I managed to save him. _

Deleting the spam, Mikagami saw an email from someone he knew. Hanabishi Recca. The name itself brought him memories. Memories of the Hokage, fighting together and rescuing Yanagi from the evil clutches of Mori Kouran.

_That was what? Five years ago?_

Since then, Mikagami had managed to get a scholarship to one of the most prestigious universities in Europe, due to his excellent grades. His scholarship even paid for accommodation, while a bank loan took care of the rest. After graduating, he was hired by a local hospital.

Mikagami leaned back on his couch and clicked on the name.

Dear Mikagami,

How's things? It's been five years. And you never even bothered to let us know if you were okay. Some friend you are. Anyway, just to let you know that Yanagi and I are getting married in a few weeks, and you are cordially invited to our wedding. Could you come? Let us know as soon as possible, all right?

Mikagami chuckled a little at the tone in which the email was written. It was probably edited by Yanagi. Recca would never talk to him in this way.

_Shall I go? _

Mikagami thought for a few moments and drafted his reply.

Author's notes: Firstly, I do not own these characters. Anyway, this fanfic takes place after volume 33 of the manga, meaning that all their madougus are gone. Also, Kurei and Koganei are gone too.


	2. The Wedding

Chapter one - The Wedding

The shrine was a hustle of activity. In one room, the wedding feast was being prepared. The hired caterers hurried to set up the tables and prepare the food, under the direction of Domon.

"A little more to the right!" Domon said, helping to arrange the tables. He was dressed in a black suit, with a matching tie and jacket. Putting his strength to good use, he was as valuable as two ordinary men.

"Domon! Hurry up! The ceremony's going to start! And where the hell is Mii-chan? Ooooh, if he comes late I'll skin him alive!"

The voice belonged to a very edgy and frantic Fuuko, nervously pacing around the entrance of the shrine.

The main hall of the shrine was decorated beautifully with the primary colours of white and blue. Light blue cloth covered the ceiling, extending down to the four corners of the shrine, while white roses were everywhere, giving the whole place a mystic look. The altar itself held the essential items necessary for the wedding. Offerings of food were placed on silver plates; while on a white cushion were the wedding rings. Beside the cushion were three small cups and two small jugs filled with sake. The jugs were slightly different from each other, signifying male and female.

To the left of the altar stood the _miko_, maiden helpers who were dressed in white. They arranged themselves by height and did some last minute adjustments to their costume and hair. On the right side of the altar was where the priest was supposed to stand.

In the centre of the room were small tables with a small sake cup on it. They were reserved for the bride, groom, witness and relatives, arranged facing the altar with the bride and groom's tables in front. Everything was arranged perfectly.

A thin stream of silvery-blue caught Fuuko's eye.

"Finally you're here! Come on, the ceremony is starting!"

Fuuko grabbed his hand and and practically dragged him into the main hall. Tokiya could not even get a single word out in protest.

_She's still so brash. _Tokiya thought, smiling a little. He noticed that Fuuko had changed. She wore her hair longer now, touching her shoulders. She was actually wearing a dress, which complimented her figure nicely.

_I never thought that she could actually look… feminine. _

"Now what are you smiling about?" Fuuko glared at Tokiya, holding up a fist.

"You finally learned how to wear a dress. That was… unexpected." replied Tokiya, in his usual bored, couldn't-care-less tone.

To his surprise, Fuuko actually blushed a little, which is something that she had never done before. Before either of them could say anything more, Domon walked toward them.

"Mikagami! It's been so long." Domon was jovial as he shook Tokiya's hand.

Tokiya nodded and smiled, then turned toward the altar. The priest had arrived. As if on cue, Recca and Yanagi then entered from a side room, and sat beside each other at their table.

Next were Yanagi's parents, followed by Kagerou, Recca's biological mother, and Shigeo, Recca's adopted father. Kagerou actually looked older, a sure sign that her curse was lifted.

Tokiya looked around. He recognized many of the guests that were there. The three sisters, Neon, Aki and Miki. They noticed him looking at them and smiled back. Raiha was also there, and many more. Tokiya was reminded of the past again. Just a few years back, they were the most bitter of enemies.

The priest then raised his staff and said in a loud voice, "I welcome all who are here to witness the wedding of Hanabishi Recca and Sakoshita Yanagi. I formally announce the start of this ceremony."

The priest then walked around, skaking his staff at everyone in the room, chanting as he did so.

_Purification. _

After one round, the priest reached the altar. Taking up a scroll, he slowly unfurled it, then looking at Recca and Yanagi. He began to chant.

"We humbly speak before the Majestic and Sovereign deity  
Who is awe inspiring and most highly revered  
We imitate the work of the deities who performed this in days of old

Under the auspices of the go-between Morikawa Ganko  
Who by grasping the middle of the majestic spear  
Bids the bride Sakoshita Yanagi and groom Hanabishi Recca make a wedding vow

This day has been designated for ritual  
Due to its auspicious character we celebrate the wedding ceremony today

It is because the law of marriage is majestically carried out in front of the great deities  
That the proper deportment of ritual must follow  
We make offerings of Sacred Food and Sacred Sake  
A variety of tastes are arranged and set before you  
Eat with delight, listen to the aroma of the offerings, enjoy, and so accept

The exchange of sake, three times drunk, shared, and poured for each other  
We do that because we are extending out congratulations to each other  
The vow does not exhaust itself; the cup is never dry

The vows we articulate are intricately inlaid into our lives in this world and the next

Growing old together, until our hair is long and white, we have been tied together  
So does our bond exist in the universe  
Just as the sun and moon exist in the heavens  
Just as the mountains and rivers exist on earth  
Side by side, shoulder to shoulder, putting our home, in order, making it settled

Maintain the family gate as a dignified one  
The connection to the ancestors is to be continued and note neglected  
The family name should flourish, be highly respected and widely known

Our grandchildren and grandchildren should continue forever  
Just as the fifty red oak trees  
Just as the eight mulberry bushes prosper and propagate  
Thus we humbly and most respectfully speak."

The prayer ended, Tokiya glanced around, his eye unknowingly landing on Fuuko. There was something in her eyes that seemed different. For a moment, Tokiya thought that he caught a glimpse of envy and sadness in her eyes. This was a surprise to him.

_Does she actually envy Recca and Yanagi? I wonder…_

He wondered why he would think of her in this way. Lost in his thoughts, he turned his attention to the ceremony, and watched.

Author's notes: That concludes the first chapter. Personally I think it's a little short, but then this is just the beginning. The details of the wedding ceremony were the result of hours in the library doing research. I wanted everything to be accurate as possible, and the idea of a western style wedding in Japan does not make sense. Hence, a Shinto wedding. Does Tokiya sound too human? Well, he's not exactly a living refrigerator anymore, having moved on with life. His bitterness and angst is slowly disappearing.


	3. Revelation

Chapter 2 – Revelation

Fuuko Kirisawa slowly walked down the street, looking at the merchandise available in the stores to the right of her. Step by step, lost in her thoughts. Yanagi and Recca were finally married. She knew that she would never forget their smiling faces for as long as she lived. The look that Recca gave Yanagi as they exchanged their wedding rings was one of pure bliss.

_How happy they looked. Will that ever happen to me?_

She stopped at a pair of double doors. Looking up, she noticed the name of the store. It was aptly named, "The Bar". How original. Sighing, she pushed the doors open and went in.

It was a plush place, with soft music playing and having an excellent décor and ambience. The lights were dim, but enough to make your way around. Fuuko made her way to the counter and sat down.

"What would you like, miss?" said the bartender, wiping clean a glass with a piece of white cloth.

"Beer would do." Fuuko replied, putting one arm on the counter and leaning her head to it.

The bartender nodded and in the next moment, a large glass of beer was in front of Fuuko.

"Enjoy."

Fuuko emptied half the glass in one long mouthful. She sat the glass down, tears in her eyes.

_Why me?_

She remembered that day, two weeks ago, where she had gone to collect the results of her regular checkup. Her life was changed forever on that day. She let her mind wander back to that day…

Fuuko sat down in front of her family doctor, Doctor Takago, expecting that she was totally fine, like she had always been. She knew that something was wrong when Doctor Takago did not greet her with his usual friendly smile.

"What's wrong?" asked Fuuko, worried.

"This is… unexpected… must be a mistake…" mumbled the doctor, reading from her medical report.

"Please tell me!" Fuuko was nearly frantic now. She knew that something had gone dreadfully wrong.

"Miss Kirisawa, have you been experiencing headaches and pain in the joints recently?"

Fuuko dumbly nodded.

"Are you frequently sick and feel weak and tired all the time?"

"Y-yes."

Doctor Takago sighed. "I regret to tell you that you have…"

"Excuse me, miss?" the voice jolted Fuuko from her thoughts. She turned to her left. Two well-dressed men were standing beside her. Evidently one of them had spoken to her.

The taller one was bony and thin, with shifty eyes that eyed Fuuko's figure appreciatively. The shorter one was a bald and fat with a crooked nose that looked as if it had been broken before.

"You look lonely. We can promise you a good time." whispered Shifty Eyes, leaning forward to her ear.

"Yeah, we sure can. Heh heh." added Crooked Nose.

"Leave me alone, you jerks." Fuuko was in no mood to play around with the two creeps. She turned back to her drink.

"Oh, come now. We pay well, you know? Shifty Eyes grinned, rubbing his hands with glee.

"Yeah, that we do. Heh heh." Crooked Nose repeated, also grinning.

Fuuko then knew what the two of them were up to. They were agents, looking for young girls to star in videos with objectionable content.

Standing up, she turned around and smiled sweetly at Shifty Eyes. He thought that he had convinced Fuuko and was thinking about the money that he would make when-

POW!

Fuuko kicked him in the nether regions, then sat down again and continued drinking.

Shifty Eyes doubled over in pain, hands grabbing at his groin. He let out a soft, high-pitched whine and fell to the floor.

"Gr-grab her!" moaned Shifty Eyes, grimacing in rage now.

Crooked Nose grabbed Fuuko's arms and twisted it behind her back.

"Let me go!" Fuuko cried, twisting and struggling hard. She could not break free. Crooked Nose was much stronger than her.

The patrons in the bar looked alarmingly at the sight, but none moved to help.

By this time, Shifty Eyes had recovered, his face contorted with rage.

"I'll get you for that, you bitch!" he sputtered, raising his arm to strike at Fuuko.

Suddenly, the door opened and a lone figure walked in. The figure was dressed in a white shirt with a light blue jacket. Black trousers matched his black leather shoes. His hands in his pockets, he strode in confidently. As he stepped closer to the light, everyone could see that his hair was long, tied up at the back, strands dropping in front of his eyes. His face an ice cool expression, he surveyed the scene.

"And what do you think you're doing?"

Fuuko turned her head toward that familiar voice.

"Mii-chan?" Her look of surprise was genuine. Her face actually mirrored Tokiya's, who himself was surprised that it was Fuuko.

Shifty Eyes sneered at Tokiya. "You stay out our way, girly-guy, or I'll cut off that hair of yours."

Tokiya raised an eyebrow. "Try me, moron."

"Eat this!" Shouting, Shifty Eyes threw a punch at Tokiya.

Tokiya sidestepped and threw a punch of his own at Shifty Eyes's stomach. As Shifty Eyes groaned as bent over, Tokiya drove an elbow down to the base of his neck. Shifty Eyes crumpled down on to the floor.

"You're gonna pay for that!" Crooked Nose yelled, attempting to ram Tokiya with his huge body.

Quickly, Tokiya crouched down and stretched out one leg, while his other leg swept to the side. With a quick fluid motion, he snapped his legs together, trapping Crooked Nose's front leg in between them, twisting as he did so. Crooked Nose fell with a loud thump.

"Hmph." Tokiya straightened his jacket and turned towards Fuuko, as the two thugs picked themselves up and staggered out the bar.

"What are you doing here?" asked Tokiya.

"I… I was…" Fuuko could only utter out these words before her eyes glazed and she fell towards Tokiya, drunk.

With quick reflexes, Tokiya caught her before Fuuko could crash to the ground and carried her up.

_What am I supposed to do with her now? I don't have her address._

As he turned to leave, the bartender called out, "Sir! The lady has not paid her bill."

Tokiya sighed. It was going to be a long night. For a moment, he regretted ever knowing Fuuko.

Back at Tokiya's hotel room, he gently laid Fuuko on his bed and covered her with a blanket, while he sat down on an armchair next to the bed. He watched her until she stirred.

"Where am I?" Fuuko said softly, looking around. She noticed she was lying on an unfamiliar bed. Sitting on a chair beside the bed was Tokiya Mikagami.

"And what happened? Why am I here?" Fuuko asked.

Tokiya actually looked slightly annoyed.

"You were dead drunk. I had to carry you back to my hotel room. And you owe me money." Tokiya said in a bored voice.

Fuuko smiled at Tokiya. "Well, thanks, I suppose."

"Hmph." Tokiya waved an arm. "Why are you drinking when you can't hold your liquor?"

The smile on Fuuko's face faded. "No particular reason." She looked down.

"You might be able to fool that sea-monkey Recca but not me." Tokiya replied. Fuuko was a bad liar. She couldn't even keep a straight face.

"Now will you tell me or not? I can tell when something is wrong, you know." Tokiya grilled Fuuko.

Fuuko looked dumbly at Tokiya, then promptly burst into tears.

Tokiya was dumbfounded. Dealing with hysterical females was not something he was used to. He waited till Fuuko stopped crying.

"What's wrong?" Tokiya said, gentler this time.

"I… I have leukemia." Fuuko sniffled.

Now THAT was a shock. For the second time that night, Tokiya was at a loss for words.

Author's notes: Some attempt at suspense and a bit of humour thrown in. I hoped it worked. Anyway, I tried to make Tokiya's entrance as dramatic as possible. I think those few sentences could have been done better, but it was the best I could think of. The moves that Tokiya used to take out the two thugs are actually basic close combat moves, which I learned in the army. It's very effective.  
Again, this chapter was the result of some research work. Leukemia is a deadly disease, and it is debatable as to what the causes of Leukemia are. Also, there are a few types of Leukemia, and treatment is expensive and can be potentially harmful as well.


	4. Paradigm de Chronos

Chapter 3 – Paradigm de Chronos

After a long period of silence, Tokiya finally spoke. "Does anyone else know about this?"

Fuuko shook her head. "No."

It was just as Tokiya had expected. Fuuko was a happy-go-lucky girl who had an optimistic outlook on life. She never expected something like this to happen to her. It is only natural that she kept it inside herself. Even though she might be crying inside, she still had a smile on her face.

"Leukemia can be treated, you know." Tokiya said.

"But I can't afford the cost. And the chances of a bone marrow transplant are next to zero!" Fuuko replied.

_At least she had enough sense to find out more about her disease. I'll give her that._

"I'll pay for the treatment."

Fuuko was shocked. "What?"

"I said I'd pay for your treatment."

"But why?" Fuuko was genuinely confused.

"I am a doctor. I save lives."

"But…"

Tokiya held up a hand, silencing Fuuko. "My sister saved me from death. At that moment, I could do nothing to help her. She was the person closest to me, and now she is gone."

Fuuko simply stared at Tokiya as if he were a museum exhibit.

Tokiya continued on. "I will not lose someone close to me again."

Fuuko was extremely surprised to hear that. She had never expected that Tokiya Mikagami would label her in the 'close' category.

_Oh shit. Now why did I say that? _Tokiya thought.

"Do not get me wrong. We were part of the Hokage. That is all." he hastily added.

Fuuko had never expected that Tokiya would help her in such a way. Full of gratitude, she turned towards Tokiya and gave him the sweetest smile that he had ever seen.

"Mii-chan, thank you. I… I should be going now."

Tokiya shook his head. "It's late. Stay for the night."

"But… there's only one bed. Where will you sleep, Mii-chan?"

"This armchair is good enough. Goodnight." Tokiya's tone was one of no refusal.

Fuuko lay back down on the bed. She felt that it was rather unexpected for Tokiya to help her like that. On the other hand, she sympathized with him. She knew that he had lived in darkness for most of his life. Maybe this was his way of showing that he had finally moved on?

Shifting her position, Fuuko thought more about Tokiya. True, he still holds a very icy demeanor, but he was also a gentleman. To her, at least. As far as she knew, she was the only person to irritate him without him doing anything back. If anything, Tokiya had become rather intriguing to her. He had changed. With that thought, she fell asleep.

Riiiiiiiiiiiiing!

Tokiya woke with a start, realizing that his cellphone was ringing. It was morning already. He looked around and noticed Fuuko was not in bed.

"Mikagami here." he answered.

"Mikagami! This is Recca. Listen, I want you to come over to my place right away!"

_Recca sure sounds excited. _Tokiya thought.

"What exactly is the problem?" Tokiya replied grumpily, not at all happy that he was woke up.

"This is unexpected, I know. But this weird guy came to my place, and he claims to be the descendant of Kaoru!"

That got Tokiya's attention. Kaoru went back in time with Kurei, but escaped the curse that had plagued Kagerou. This certainly was unexpected.

"I'll be right there." Tokiya replied, and started to put down his phone.

"Mikagami wait! If you see Fuuko, get her to come as well. I can't contact her."

"Will do."

At this moment, Fuuko came into the room. She was holding two plates with eggs and bread on it.

"Good morning, Mii-Chan!" Fuuko said cheerfully. "I made breakfast."

"You can cook? Will it poison me?" Tokiya asked sarcastically.

Fuuko glared at him. "Hey, I am a girl after all, OK?"

Tokiya opened his mouth to retort back, but had second thoughts when he noticed that Fuuko was preparing to throw the plates at him. Fuuko could be extremely scary when she was angry, and he did not want to bear the brunt of her assault.

"Well, thanks, I suppose." Tokiya grudgingly replied.

"That's better." Fuuko smiled again. "By the way, who was that you were speaking to?"

As they ate, Tokiya told her about the call. Fuuko was as surprised as Tokiya, and they wasted no time in preparing to leave. Fuuko would go home and change first before meeting Tokiya at Recca and Yanagi's place. As Fuuko turned to leave, Tokiya stopped her.

"One last thing. I want you at the hospital in a week. I'll get myself transferred back to Japan permanently too. It's your choice to tell the rest of them."

Fuuko nodded and left. Tokiya looked at her departing form. Slowly, he shook his head.

_She does not deserve this._

Shaking his head, he went to take a bath.

Recca Hanabishi was not in a good mood. He had wanted to spend the day with his newly wed bride. However, things were simply too important to ignore. He looked at Takeshi, who claimed to Kaoru's descendent. The only similarity in them Recca could see was their eyes. Domon was already here, drinking a small cup of tea.

The doorbell rang and Yanagi went to open the door. It was Fuuko and Mikagami. They entered and sat down on the couch.

"Everyone's here." Recca said, looking at Takeshi.

Takeshi stood up and bowed to everyone. "My name is Takeshi… Takeshi Koganei. Kaoru Koganei is my great-great-great grandfather."

No one spoke a word. Takeshi sat down and continued.

"This may sound strange, but this story was passed down through the generations. I was told that Kaoru told it on his deathbed. Apparently, Kaoru and his brother, Kurei, came from another time period."

Takeshi looked around at all of them. "At first, I did not believe it. However, seeing all of you today, I am not so sure."

"Kaoru told his children about looking for a person named Recca Hanabishi at a certain year. He made everyone of them promise that they would in turn, spread it to their own children, down through the generations."

"It was out of curiosity that I went looking for a Recca Hanabishi. I also wanted to know if what Kaoru said was true. I searched for five years. I can't believe that I actually found him."

"What did Kaoru want to say to us?" Yanagi said pleadingly, tears in her eyes.

Recca knew that Yanagi had never stopped worrying about Kaoru. She was always worrying about Kaoru being in the past. And there was no way to send word.

"It has been a long time, and what Kaoru had said was passed down through memory. Therefore, some of it was lost. I shall try to tell you the exact words he said." Takeshi replied.

"Kaoru's words were as such: To all my friends, Recca, Yanagi, Domon, Fuuko, Tokiya, Ganko and Kagerou. How I wish that I might see all of you one more time. I know that it has not been easy worrying about me. Please understand my decision to go back in time with Kurei. My life has been a fulfilling and enriching one. Recca, I know that this will not be easy, but Kurei eventually died, stricken by a disease. Be strong. Everyone, have a good life and take care." Takeshi's voice then faltered.

"There is actually more, but I have forgotten. I'm sorry."

For a moment, they could actually picture an old Kaoru, lying on his deathbed, surrounded by his children. It was too much for Yanagi. She wept openly in Recca's arms. He himself was having trouble keeping a straight face. Everyone's eyes were in tears.

Tokiya was having mixed feelings. He had thought of Kaoru as a little brother. He was touched that Kaoru actually remembered them. He was happy that Kaoru had found his peace.

"Everyone, I must be going now. If I remember anything else, I will let you know. Goodbye. " Takeshi said, stood up and let himself out.

After all of them calmed down, Fuuko decided to make her announcement.

Fuuko started. "Everyone, I have something important to say."

All eyes were on her. Fuuko forced herself to be calm. This was not going to be easy.

"I have leukemia, and will be undergoing treatment next week. This… this is not easy, but do not worry about me. I… I…" her voice faltered. "I will be okay."

Fuuko managed to force a small smile.

Their reactions were different, ranging from disbelief to outright shock. Domon was struck utterly dumb and could not say a word. The thought of his beloved Fuuko having cancer was too much for him to bear.

Yanagi started to say something, but Fuuko stopped her.

"I have to go now, I'll see you guys some other time, alright?" Fuuko quickly escaped before her own tears could fall.

"Mikagami, you're a doctor. Can you help her?" Recca asked, worried.

"I'm not sure which stage her leukemia is at. If it's in an early stage, it can be treated. However, if it's already in a late stage, then…" Tokiya shrugged.

Yanagi looked horrified. Domon was still speechless.

Tokiya sighed. "In my opinion, the best thing to do would be a bone marrow transplant. However, the chances that we would be able to find a suitable donor are extremely low."

Recca asked, "Could we donate ours?"

"Tests will be needed, but you could try." Tokiya replied.

"Well then, let's go now!" Domon finally spoke, standing up.

"Don't be so hasty, you idiot! She's not even in a hospital yet!" Recca said.

"Fuuko is so pitiful. How I wish I still had my powers…" Yanagi looked crestfallen.

Tokiya stood up to leave. He has better things to do, like getting himself transferred back to Japan permanently, rather than listen to the three of them babble on.

"Well, I'll be going now. Will let you guys know once more info comes in."

Recca sighed. Two bombshells dropped in one day.

Tokiya walked along, thinking. It had been a long time since he last cared for someone else other than Yanagi. Having moved on with life, he realised that it was his friends that had changed him. They may be monkeys and gorillas but they were still his friends. He felt that Fuuko was different somehow. He knew that she had gone out of her way to get him to bond with the rest of the Hokage. He remembered seeing her at Recca's wedding. She actually looked beautiful wearing that dress. It was the first time that he had thought of her being anything but a tomboy.

Now why was he thinking about her so much? What's worse, he nearly walked straight into a tree. Mentally scolding himself, he tried to think of an excuse that would get him posted back home permanently.

_Oh Mifuyu, what have I become? What has Fuuko done to me?_

Author's notes: I'm not throwing Fuuko into Tokiya's arms as of yet. A relationship takes time to grow. Sure, Tokiya is a different person, but is he capable of love yet? Anyway, I'm taking a small break after this chapter.

The whole Takeshi part was inspired by one of Michael Crichton's novels. I forgot the title. Anyway, it was about this group of people who went back in time to the middle ages, and one of them stayed behind. When they returned to their own time, they found that the guy who stayed behind actually left a message to them, in his tomb. I hope the whole scene was touching enough. I'm not very good at touching scenes.


	5. Unexpected

Chapter 4 - Unexpected

Fuuko was fidgeting. She was extremely nervous. It had been a week since Tokiya managed to get himself transferred back to Japan and did some tests for her. She desperately wanted to find out which type of leukemia she was suffering from. As of now, she knew that there were four major types. Tokiya could not tell her anything else.

She was in a small room. The door outside has said 'Mikagami'. Fuuko was impressed. Tokiya was much more brilliant than she had thought. Tokiya had gone to collect her results and firmly instructed her not to do anything to his computer.

_Well, rules are meant to be broken._

With a mischievous grin, she moved to the other side of the desk and sat on Tokiya's chair. She moved the mouse and found that the computer was locked, requiring a password to access.

And it was precisely at that moment that Tokiya sauntered in.

_Oh shit._

Fukko quickly plastered a smile on her face, putting on her best I-am-an-innocent-angel expression.

"Hmph. I see you have reverted back to being a monkey," Tokiya said, giving her a disgusted look.

"It's not fair! You put the password on purpose!" Fuuko accused.

"More brains, my dear," Tokiya replied, in a bored tone.

Fuuko glared at him, raising a fist, ready to give him a taste of Fuuko knuckle sandwich, with extra sauce. Tokiya could be so infuriating sometimes.

Tokiya simply raised his index finger and shook it left and right, shaking his head. His other hand held some papers.

Fuuko then put her hand down and glared at Tokiya, then pouting.

_I'll outsmart him the next time!_

"Thinking of outsmarting me the next time? It won't work, Fuuko," Tokiya said, shaking his head again.

The smoke rising above Fuuko's head nearly triggered the fire alarm.

"Now, about your test results," Tokiya started. "You are currently afflicted with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia, or CML for short, and it is in the accelerated phase. This is not good, but there is still hope."

Looking at Fuuko's concentrating face, Tokiya continued, "CML has three phases. Chronic, accelerated and blast crisis. As long as the disease does not reach the blast crisis stage, you are relatively safe."

"So, what must I do then?" Fuuko asked.

"The disease is already in the accelerated phase. I highly recommend staying in hospital. I will arrange for chemotherapy, as well as starting to look for a suitable bone marrow donor," Tokiya replied.

"Isn't chemotherapy enough?" Fuuko asked again, anxious. She had a worried look now.

"Your disease is in the accelerated stage. Think of a transplant as a last option, in case the disease goes to the blast crisis stage. It is hard to say," Tokiya replied, sighing this time.

"What will happen if the disease reaches the uh… blast crisis stage?" Fuuko asked in a small voice. She was terrified.

"Most people in the blast crisis stage do not survive," Tokiya said. "In that stage, high-dosage chemotherapy followed by a bone marrow transplant might help. However, it may take a long time to find a suitable donor. Many factors are needed."

Fuuko leaned back and looked down. Tokiya could see tears forming in her eyes. She was trying her very best not to break down in front of him. Fighting hard, she forced her tears down and tried her best to smile.

Tokiya had the urge to raise his hand and wipe away her tears. Why was he feeling this way?

_Pity. It must be. _Tokiya assured himself. It was weird that he felt this way. This was something new. Fuuko did look vulnerable with tears, much different from the loud-mouthed tomboy that she had been.

"Fuuko," Tokiya said, trying his best to be gentle. "I suggest that you check in as soon as possible. Pack some things you need and come right back, okay?"

Fuuko nodded, then stood up to leave. How was she going to break the news to her family? And to poor Ganko? This was not going to be easy.

As the door closed, Tokiya could not help but wonder. As he watched Fuuko leave, he felt something that could be described as a slight pull in his heart. It felt like… like he preferred Fuuko to stay. Now why was he feeling like that? Shaking his head, he prepared to see the next patient, banishing all thoughts of Fuuko from his mind.

----------

A few hours later…

Fuuko was relieved. Everything had gone well. Her family had been extremely supportive, and although sad for her, they had wished her well. It's too bad that her family were overseas right now. As for Ganko, Fuuko had expected her to cry and make a big fuss. On the contrary, Ganko had solemnly wished her good luck and promised to be strong. All in all, everything went well.

She was more surprised to see that her ward was a private one. She had expected a shared ward. Tokiya was not sparing anything in making her comfortable. Fuuko realized that she had come to genuinely like the guy. He has become a different person, now that his life is not totally about revenge.

Fuuko thought about everything that Tokiya had done for her. Beneath his cold exterior he could actually be rather caring, if a bit obnoxious. Also, he was the strong silent type, whom Fuuko preferred instead of loudmouths like Recca and Domon. Of course, there was the fact that he was extremely good looking too.

Her mind shifted focus to another person, someone who she had not seen for some time. Raiha. In contrast to Tokiya, he was warm and friendly, always having a smile on his face for her. He was also honourable and devoted, especially to Kurei. She found that she had been extremely happy to see Raiha at Recca and Yanagi's wedding.

To her, Raiha was probably the closest male to her, sans Recca. Sitting down on her bed, she secretly hoped that she would see him again. At least they had exchanged contacts at the wedding. Raiha had saved her life on more than one occasion, and she felt that she shared a bond with Raiha somehow.

_Well, sitting in my ward all day is going to be boring._

Fukko decided to take a walk in the hospital garden. Looking at the people around her, she felt a pang of sadness. Almost everyone here was sick in some way. Her heart went out to a young child who could not have been more than six years old, bandages around his head. He looked so pitiful.

Walking along, she noticed someone. A girl, sitting on a bench. She looked familiar somehow. As if they had met somewhere before.

As she walked nearer to her to take a closer look, the girl turned to look at her. Their eyes met. Recognition.

"Fuuko?" the girl spoke.

"Sh… Shinya…" Fuuko whispered, scarcely believing it.

----------

Author's notes: More medical babble, more research. Personally, I did not think that this chapter was all that well done, but my purpose was to bring back some characters, as well as giving you readers something to think. What is really going in Fuuko's mind? And what of Shinya's return? In all the fics that I've seen, practically no one brought Shinya back. Shinya might as well be a completely new character. Her only connection is with a young Fuuko. How will all this affect the plot? Stay tuned, heh.


	6. Danger

Chapter 5 – Danger

Raiha cocked his P226 and set it to safe mode, lest firing it by accident. He looked at his watch. 2150 hours. Ten minutes till action. Raiha nodded to his team to get into position.

"Saito, Enishi and Aoshi, follow me. We'll draw the fire from the front entrance. Sano and Yahiko, wait fifteen seconds after you hear the first gunshot, then go in through the back entrance. Kenshin, support fire from the roof," Raiha whispered to his six men team. "Any questions?"

They shook their heads.

"Right. Move into position, men." Raiha said, then ran towards the entrance of the warehouse, his three men following him.

One week before, the son of a well-known businessman was kidnapped. Inspector Raiha's team was tasked to rescue the boy. Police intelligence had just informed him two hours ago that they had found where the kidnappers were. Scrambling his team, they rushed to the warehouse.

Raiha crouched down behind a large crate and fiddled with his comm-set, putting the earpiece into his ear and strapped the microphone to the collar of his shirt.

"Kenshin, are you in position?" Raiha whispered.

"Two more minutes, sir," The voice crackled.

Raiha waited. He looked toward the building beside the warehouse. A figure waved to him. That meant that Kenshin was in place with his Steyr Scope sniper rifle.

Raiha whispered into the microphone again. "Sano, how's things?"

"Everything fine. Waiting for your signal," came the reply.

Raiha looked at his watch. One more minute. He ran through everything in his head again.

_Three entrances. Front covered. Back covered. Roof covered. _

2200 hours.

"Let's go, guys," Raiha said, running softly to the front entrance of the warehouse, his men behind him.

Raiha stopped behind a pile of large crates near the entrance. The entrance was not closed and Raiha could see one of the kidnappers standing near the entrance, keeping a lookout and holding a rifle.

"Smoke grenade, now," Raiha whispered.

Behind him, Saito nodded, pulled the safety pin out and rolled the grenade towards the sentry. The grenade gave a loud 'pop' and gray smoke appeared, quickly hiding the sentry from view.

The sentry panicked and moved out of the warehouse to be away of the smoke.

Which was when Raiha gave him a solid uppercut on the chin, having anticipated the sentry correctly. As the sentry began to fall, Raiha tried to grab the sentry's weapon. He missed. It fell to the floor with a clang.

_Oh shit. So much for stealth._

Almost immediately, he could hear voices coming from inside the warehouse.

"Let's move! Find some cover!" Raiha shouted, all thoughts of silence forgotten as he ran inside the warehouse and took cover behind a pillar, immediately lying flat on the ground, his weapon out before him. Looking sideways, he noticed that his men were in similar positions. Just in time, for the enemy were firing at them now.

"Saito! Aoshi! Cover fire! Burst!" Raiha shouted above the din of bullets. He then rolled to his right, used one hand to support himself up and dashed to another cover, firing as he went, Enishi following him, doing the same thing. Behind them, Saito and Aoshi covered their running path, firing in bursts to conserve ammunition.

Once Raiha and Enishi reached defensible cover, it was their turn to provide covering fire for their comrades. Once all four were in suitable positions in which to engage the enemy, they chose their targets carefully, working in a coordinated manner as to do maximum damage.

Raiha smiled and he saw one of the enemy go down, shot in the chest. Then he felt a large thump, like someone just punched him in the chest. He fell behind and realized that he had been shot. Realising that his bulletproof vest was ruined, he removed it and threw it away, grimacing.

_Damn. That hurt._

"Sir, we've found the hostage and will be moving out now," came Sano's voice from the earpiece.

"Right. Well done," Raiha replied.

He then realized that it was all quiet now. Slowly he stood up and signaled his men to move forward slowly. It was quiet. Around him he could see the few bodies of the kidnappers. Five in total.

"All right guys, call in the ambulances," Raiha said, holsting his weapon. All five kidnappers were down. He turned around to congratulate his men on a job well done.

A sound made him turn back. One of the kidnappers was not dead yet. He was holding a pistol, and was aiming it at Raiha.

BANG!

Raiha tried to evade, but the round still hit him in the thigh.

"Gah!" he cried out, falling to the floor and holding his leg. Enishi quickly disarmed the shooter before he could fire any more shots.

"Are you all right, sir?" Aoshi asked, kneeling down beside the fallen Raiha.

Raiha tried to focus on the sound but could not. Losing control, he fell into unconsciousness.

----------

Fuuko could not believe her eyes. The Shinya she remembered did not look like this! The girl in front of her had bright blue eyes, a smooth complexion and dimples on her cheeks and accentuated her smile. The long, cascading black hair only made her look more beautiful.

"Shinya!" Fuuko exclaimed. "You look so… different! Bad case of the ugly duckling, eh?"

Shinya blushed. "Well…if you say so…" she said softly, looking down.

"But anyway Shinya, how's your illness? You never did give me much info," Fuuko asked.

"It's more or less under control now," Shunya cheerfully replied. "I'm just staying here for observation. Why are you here, Fuuko?"

Before she could reply, a commotion made the two of them look to the left. Some nurses were wheeling a young man who was bleeding heavily from the leg. As they went past, Fuuko managed to get a glimpse at the face of the young man.

What she saw shocked her. It was Raiha.

"It… it can't be…" Fuuko stammered.

"Fuuko?" Shinya asked, concerned. "What's wrong?"

Without answering, Fuuko dashed towards the operating room, leaving behind a stupefied and confused Shinya.

----------

Tokiya Mikagami leaned back on his couch, eyes closed, taking a break. Suddenly, the intercom sounded.

"Dr. Mikagami, you are needed at operating room two. I repeat, Dr. Mikagami, you are needed at operating room 2."

Tokiya sighed, stood up and immediately got himself ready.

Reaching the operating room, he was greeted by another doctor, Tetsuya.

"Ah Mikagami, you're here," Tetsuya said, starting his scrubbing to be as clean as possible.

"What's up? Accident?" Tokiya asked, joining Tetsuya.

"Police officer," Tetsuya replied. "Gunshot wound in the leg. Looks pretty bad." He finished his scrubbing and quickly put on his gloves and mask.

Likewise, Tokiya quickly finished his own scrubbing, put on his gloves and mask and walked to the injured man, already anesthetized and lying down. He looked at the wound and shook his head. It was bad, but salvageable.

He looked up and saw the injured man's face for the first time.

_Eh? Raiha? Now this is a surprise._

Wondering what in the world had happened, he got to work, trying to save Raiha's leg.

----------

Author's notes: Being military trained has its advantages, eh? I'm sure you noticed, but Raiha's men all have names from Rurouni Kenshin. Lying flat down in the prone position is actually one of the best positions to shoot. Better if you have something to support your arms and weapon.  
Bulletproof vests are not ultimate bullet deflectors like you see in the movies. It is actually a polymeric material called Kevlar. Think of it as a cushion that stops the bullet and displaces the shock. Once the bullet hits the Kevlar, it will act like a shockwave, practically destroying the molecular arrangement of the material, thus rendering it unusable after one or two hits.  
Getting shot is not fun. Its best if the round goes through totally. Due to the nature of a bullet, it makes a small hole at the entrance wound and a large hole at the exit wound. Really disgusting and painful.


	7. Strength of a Woman

Chapter 6 – Strength of a woman

Fuuko stared at the unconscious form lying on the bed. She was unused to seeing Raiha helpless. The only time was back in SODOM, when the Raijin was destroyed after taking most of Raiha's life with it. Till then, Fuuko was the one who had been stuck in difficult situations, and Raiha was the one who rescued her.

Their meetings had always been kind of… weird. She remembered the time when she fell into Kouran's trap and almost drowned. It was Raiha who had saved her. And it was again Raiha who brought her back to her senses when Soukakusai captured her using his urn. Back then, he always called himself 'her prince'. But why would 'her prince' want to kill her just to prove a point?

Fuuko had thought that Raiha was interested in her. It was nice having another admirer besides Domon for a change. She was genuinely happy seeing him at SODOM, but her happiness was all dashed when Raiha had tried to kill her. Other than the Hokage, Raiha was possibly the only other male that was closer to her.

Fuuko looked at Raiha's face. He looked so calm and peaceful. No one but those who knew him would guess that he was formerly an assassin that killed without batting an eyelid. His life was actually quite sad. Of those Uruha loyal to Kurei, only Neon and her sisters are still alive. Everyone else was dead.

Fuuko could not help but look at Raiha. Her feelings were mixed regarding him. One side of him was a nonsensical, sweet and funny klutz, while the other was a cold-hearted assassin. She did not know what to expect regarding him. She sighed and looked out of the window.

"Ugh…"

Fuuko turned toward a shifting Raiha. He was regaining consciousness.

"Raiha?" Fuuko whispered.

Raiha slowly opened his eyes. They widened as he saw Fuuko for the first time.

"Fuuko? What are you doing here?" Raiha asked.

"Raiha! You're awake!" Fuuko exclaimed, unconsciously grabbing Raiha's hand. "How did you end up like this?"

"Er… I got shot?" Raiha gave a sheepish smile.

"You baka! You should be more careful," Fuuko replied, voice tinged with concern.

"Heh heh. I will. And could you please let go of my hand?" Raiha said, smiling again.

Fuuko then realized that she was holding on to Raiha's hand. She quickly pulled her hand back and blushed slightly.

"Ahem."

Fuuko and Raiha turned toward the voice. It was Mikagami.

Raiha looked at him. "You're… Mikagami, right? What are you doing here?"

"I saved your leg," Tokiya replied in his usual no nonsense, bored tone.

"Ah, I see," Raiha said, then tried his best to bow from his half sitting position on the bed. "I give you my thanks."

Tokiya accepted Raiha's thanks with an almost indiscernible nod and turned toward Fuuko.

"Chemotherapy time," Tokiya said, looking toward the door.

"Huh? Chemotherapy?" Raiha looked confused. "What are you suffering from, Fuuko?"

Fuuko's face turned downcast for a second. The next moment, her face was set in a grim determination, like when she faced Raiha in SODOM.

"Leukemia."

Fuuko's reply hit Raiha like a rock in the face. He stared at Fuuko, dumbfounded for a moment. Well, at least she was what he expected her to be. Strong. He respected her for that.

As he watched Fuuko leave with Tokiya, he muttered softly, "Strength of a woman…"

----------

Shinya lay back down on her bed in her private ward, waiting for doctor Soujiro to do his daily examination. She was happy to be able to see Fuuko again. Fuuko was one of the strongest girls that she had met, both physically and mentally. Why did she have to be afflicted with Leukemia?

The door opened. Shinya sat up straight. The person that walked in was definitely not doctor Soujiro. In fact, it was a tall, lanky man with long hair tied up at the back of his head, with gorgeous blue eyes that seemed to penetrate into her deeply. It was Tokiya Mikagami.

Tokiya took up a file attached to the foot of her bed. Looking at it, he asked, "You are Shinya?"

"Yes, doctor. Where is doctor Soujiro?" she replied, staring at him even more.

"Doctor Soujiro is on leave. For the duration that he is gone, I will be covering for him. Get used to seeing me. I am doctor Mikagami," Tokiya said in his usual bored tone.

Inwardly, Shinya's heart leapt. He was drop dead gorgeous!

"Alright. Stretch out your left hand," Tokiya commanded.

Shinya noticed that Tokiya was surprisingly gentle as he took her blood pressure. He was also a man of few words. He went through all the other checks slowly and carefully, as if he had all the time in the world.

"Er, doctor Mikagami?" Shinya said.

"Yes?" Tokiya replied, looking at her.

Shinya blushed. Tokiya's gaze was so penetrating that she could not help but look away. To have such a good-looking guy look at her like that was rare for her.

"What is the status of my disease now?" Shinya asked, still looking down.

"More or less under control, finally. If nothing comes up within the next two or three months, you can be discharged. All you have to do then is to come back every month for a checkup," Tokiya replied, standing up and preparing to leave.

Shinya stared at him as he left. She could not help but think of him. There was something about him that made him stand out from other people. His eyes held a hint of sadness. The way he moved, the way he talked… everything about him was surreal. Was she in love?

She resolved to find out more about him the next time he came around. Lying down, she tried to sleep.

----------

Closing the door, Tokiya thought to himself that Shinya was rather pitiful. To have cancer afflicted since she was young, she had never known a proper childhood. This was something that Tokiya could relate to. His childhood was spent mastering the Ensui to avenge his sister. They were in similar straits yet so different.

Now after all these years, Tokiya had found peace. He was ready to begin his life anew. Being a doctor was a logical choice. He could not save his sister. More than anyone, he knew how the death of a loved one felt. And so he chose this profession. To help save lives. From his loss, came his strength. He knew that Mifuyu would approve.

_Mifuyu… you are smiling at me now, right?_

And so, Tokiya resolved to do his best, to be a good doctor dedicated to saving lives. Especially for people like Shinya, sick since young. And for his friends, for without them, he would not have known friendship. For Fuuko.

_I have changed, Mifuyu. You would be happy to see me like this. _

He knew that he could not totally become a different person. Living as a cold, dark soul all those years has moulded his personality. Even now, he still finds it hard to open up to people. Other than Kagerou, Fuuko was the only one that had made him feel like part of the Hokage. Thinking back, he was seriously annoyed at first. Now, he decided that it might not be such a bad thing.

_Well, monkeys are hyperactive._

Shrugging, he went about the rest of his daily duties.

----------

Author's notes: Remember, this fic takes place a few years after the manga, so don't come screaming at me that Mikagami is terribly OOC. Stay tuned for the next chapter.


	8. Intrigue

Chapter 7 - Intrigue

The months passed quickly. Shinya and Fuuko were doing well under the supervision of Tokiya. For Shinya, she had mixed feelings. Tokiya was something of an enigma to her. He could be soft yet distant. Shinya had actually managed to get him to open up a little, and she took it as an accomplishment.

Tokiya had qualities that she desired. Granted, she never thought of what she wanted till she met Tokiya, but still. For all the communication they shared, there was just something missing. It was as if Tokiya was on another level, one that she could not reach no matter what she did. To her surprise, she found that Tokiya knew Fuuko as well. To her chagrin, they apparently knew each other for some time, and they did not have any of the communication problems that Shinya had.

Lost in her thoughts, she did not notice Fuuko open the door to her private ward and step inside.

"How are you today?" Fuuko asked cheerfully, ending Shinya's reverie.

They chatted for awhile until the conversation took another turn. To Tokiya.

"So, how's Tokiya and his treatment? Did he bully you in any way?" Fuuko asked suddenly. "Because I'll bash him up if he does!"

"Don't worry, Fuuko," Shinya replied, smiling. "He's been a perfect gentleman."

"That's good."

"I like him a lot," Shinya said, then quickly covered her mouth, blushing. She had not meant to say it!

Too late. Fuuko heard that.

Fuuko's face changed. "You what?"

Shinya sighed. She might as well admit it. Taking a deep breath, she said, "I like him. A lot."

Fuuko was stunned. She felt as though Shinya had clubbed her on the head with a hammer. She should have seen it. Tokiya was the near pinnacle of male perfection. Shinya, who had little experience with guys, was sure to be smitten eventually.

"Fuuko? Fuuko?"

Shinya was waving her hand in front of her eyes and looking at her with a strange expression. "Hello?"

"Er… I just remembered I have something to do I really have to go now so I'll come see you some other time bye!" Fuuko said all that very quickly and left Shinya's ward. You could see the trailing smoke made by the departing Fuuko.

Fuuko's reaction was not lost on Shinya. Her suspicions were correct. Fuuko indeed had feelings for Tokiya. However, Shinya would not back down. Tokiya had become a shining light in her life.

"I will make him fall in love with me," Shinya said to herself.

----------

Fuuko closed the door and sat down on her bed, then decided to lie down and look at the ceiling.

_Why am I feeling this way?_

She felt uneasy. Shinya's revelation had stung her more than a little. Tokiya Mikagami was just a friend. If so, then why was she feeling so angry, so jealous? She paced around her room, trying to clear her thoughts. She grudgingly admitted that she had feelings for Tokiya. But so did Shinya.

_Shinya is sweet, demure and beautiful. I am just a tomboy. Who am I to compete with her?_

The more she thought about it, the more she was convinced that Tokiya would not love a person such as her. Besides, Shinya was one of her best friends. Shinya's life was a hard one. Now that Tokiya had entered her life, she was genuinely happy. How could Fuuko take that happiness away from her?

_It has to be this way. But why does it hurt so much?_

Groaning, she turned around, lying facedown on her bed, hands clasped behind her head.

The door then opened and someone walked in.

"Who is it?" Fuuko shouted, her voice muffled by her bed.

"Your prince."

_Eh? Prince? What the…_

Fuuko lifted her head and looked toward the direction of the door.

"Is there something wrong, Fuuko?" Raiha asked, face set in his trademark goofy smile.

Fuuko sighed. Raiha had just chosen the worst possible time to appear. In all seriousness, Raiha was not a bad person to be with. However, she just could not forget the fact that she tried to kill her. Those merciless eyes…

"It's nothing. What are you doing here? Something you need?" Fuuko asked, forcing a smile back.

"I have something to say, Fuuko. Something that only you may hear," Raiha answered, smiling no longer.

_Oh no. _"Wh… what?" Fuuko stammered out. She had a bad feeling about this.

"I… I have fallen in love with you, Fuuko. I have been wanting to tell you this for so long, but I simply could not find the courage to do so. Will… will you be my girlfriend?" Raiha said nervously, looking down.

This time, Fuuko felt as if she had been punched in the gut. If this was a few years ago, Fuuko might have accepted him. But this Fuuko was different.

"No. It's not possible between us."

Raiha could not believe his ears. Disbelievingly, he said, "I know that you have feelings for me. Do not deceive yourself, Fuuko."

"I used to," Fuuko replied, eyes flaring up. "But not after you tried to kill me."

"The circumstances could not be helped!" The edge in Raiha's voice was visible.

"Is the truth of our madougus that important?" Fuuko countered.

"I had to know!" Raiha shouted back.

Calming down, Fuuko simply asked, "If Kurei ordered you to kill me, would you?"

"Yes," came Raiha's immediate reply.

"If you are capable of killing the person that you love, how can you be capable of love?" Fuuko asked, tears flowing down her cheeks.

Raiha had no answer. He looked at Fuuko, trying to say something, but nothing would come out. They stared at each other for a long time, Fuuko making no effort to dry her tears. Finally, Raiha left wordlessly.

Opening the door, he turned to look at Fuuko one last time. Then he left.

Fuuko was not a typical girl. Her inner strength made her stand out. Her warm and cheery personality seemed to overcome nearly all her setbacks. No matter how sad she was, she would always remain strong. Not this time. Fuuko cried into her pillow, cried until no more tears would come, eventually falling asleep in exhaustion.

----------

Author's notes: Alright, some spoilers here. To me, the Raiha/Fuuko pairing was a good one. It had the potential, reaching the part where Raiha attempted to kill Fuuko. All just to prove a point, which is to find out the truth about the Raijin and Fuujin. Which was good and which was evil. Also, above all else, Raiha was devoted to Kurei. Along with Neon and Jisho, the three of them were the most devoted of the Uruha. They made a pact, writing their names using their blood, swearing total devotion to Kurei. He was Kurei's assassin. No matter how silly and foolish he was, he had a different side. He could turn into a cold-hearted and bloodthirsty killer. Just look at what he did to Sokakusai. I believe that these factors effectively eliminated any hint of the Raiha/Fuuko pairing.


	9. Tokiya's decision

Chapter 8 - Tokiya's decision

Tokiya was tired. The last few months had passed quickly, and his charges, Fuuko and Shinya were doing well. Their conditions were under control, thanks to medical advancement. They should be able to get discharged soon.

His thoughts regarding the two of them were mixed. Shinya was treating him with a sweetness that was positively sickening. Just yesterday, she bought him a large sweater with bright pink floral prints, under the pretext that she wanted to thank him for taking care of her. His face immediately contorted and Shinya looked as if she was going to cry. Tokiya had to quickly force a smile and accept it with thanks. He shuddered thinking about it.

He was lucky he was cool enough to change his facial expressions quickly.

In contrast to Shinya, Fuuko was distant. It was as if she was avoiding him for some reason. All his life, Tokiya had been some sort of a genius. He excelled in schoolwork and sports. He was used to people fawning over him, trying to get into his good books. But for all his vaunted excellence, there was one small thing that he had problems with. Females. He could never figure them out.

Shrugging, he tried to think about his job instead. Since he joined this hospital, the hospital's productivity had increased by 15 percent. The director of the hospital had taken one look at his curriculum vitae and promptly hired him on the spot. Since then, his position was in general surgery, with a specialization in cancer research. His mere presence made alone made the nurses around him work harder, trying to impress him. He had gained something like a cult following among the nurses there. Well, it was not his fault that he was young, brilliant and just happened to be good looking. Oh well.

Females. Are they always this weird? Other than his dead sister, the other females in his life was a 400 year old woman, his dead sister look-alike and a hyperactive monkey. Not exactly the best candidates to observe, if you want to learn more about the fairer sex.

Tokiya leaned his head back, exhausted. Most of his work was done for the day. Fuuko and Shinya were discharged, with strict instructions to come back and see him every month. Fuuko had accepted this and quickly left, while Shinya actually looked sad. Taking note of the time, he decided to go for a drink before heading home.

-----

Fuuko sat down and ordered a beer from the bartender. She felt horrible. She had fallen for Tokiya, but did not have the courage to tell him the truth. Troubled by he problems, she did not notice the danger she was in.

Over in the corner, someone was looking at Fuuko intently. Shifty Eyes nudged his partner in the ribs. Crooked Nose grunted in pain, spilling his drink. He glared at Shifty Eyes.

"What in the…," Crooked Nose started to say, then noticed where Shifty Eyes was pointing at.

"It's that broad again. I want revenge," Shifty Eyes said angrily.

"Let's get her now," Crooked Nose replied, an evil grin taking shape on his face.

Shifty Eyes stopped him. "Patience. Wait till she's drunk."

They did not have to wait long. Fuuko was a bad drinker.

Shifty Eyes and Crooked Nose walked up to her.

"Remember us, sweetie?" Shifty Eyes asked.

Fuuko, though groggy, was able to recognise the two of them. Mind racing with alarm, she quickly threw a punch at Shifty Eyes. It went nowhere near its mark, thanks to her drunkenness.

"Now!"

Shifty Eyes and Crooked Nose each grabbed one of Fuuko's arms and started to drag her away.

"Someone help me!" Fuuko cried out.

The bartender saw what was happening and came over.

"Excuse me, but I'm going to have to ask the two of you to leave the lady alone," he said, signalling for his bouncers to restore order.

With a laugh, Shifty Eyes produced a gun from his pocket and pointed at the bartender.

"You will do no such…,"

Wham!

Tokiya's kick sprawled Shifty Eyes to the floor, his weapon flying away. Turning around, he saw Crooked Nose rushing towards him, fists flying. With one leg on Shifty Eye's back, Tokiya prepared to defend himself.

He easily avoided Crooked Nose's punches and countered. A punch to the gut. Another to the nose. Crooked Nose went flying. For added effect, Tokiya straightened his clothes and ran his arm over his hair with a bored expression, to rapturous applause by the people in the bar.

Twisting Shifty Eyes's arms behind his back, Tokiya nodded for the bouncers to clean up. As they took the thugs away, Tokiya looked at Fuuko's drunk form. Shaking his head, he picked her up and started to leave. She was lucky that he decide to come here.

"Sir, please wait a moment!"

Tokiya turned around to look at the bartender, a quizzical expression at his face.

"The lady has not paid for her drink, sir,"

Tokiya sighed.

-----

Tokiya gently put Fuuko down on his bed and shook his head. It's a good thing that she was pretty light. She was a horrible drinker. Well, who gets drunk on just one glass of beer? Why on earth would she be drinking alone in a bar?

Shaking his head, questions remaining unanswered, he decided to clean her up a bit. At least her face, anyway. Getting a small damp towel from his bathroom, he sat down beside Fuuko's still form. Using a finger to brush away her hair, he gently dabbed on her forehead and wiped her cheeks.

He noticed the look of absolute serenity on her face. Without knowing why, he gently stroked her cheek, noticing for the first time how soft and smooth her skin was. He had always thought of her as a monkey. Now, after looking at her like this, lying so peacefully, he almost reversed that particular line of thought. Well, almost.

_She's actually… beautiful…_

Tokiya was shocked by his own thoughts. What had he gotten himself into? Surely he had not fallen for Fuuko?

"It's not possible…," Tokiya muttered.

"Mii-chan…," the voice trailed off. Fuuko was still in a drunken stupor.

Tokiya wanted to wake her up but decided to wait. Might she have more things to say?

"Mii-chan… why do you not take notice of me…,"

Tokiya was genuinely surprised now. Never in his wildest imaginations did he imagine that Fuuko would have feelings for him. He stared at her slumbering form, thinking, until she woke up.

"Mii-chan?" Fuuko said, opening her eyes, surprised that she saw Tokiya.

"You were drunk. And you owe me money again," Tokiya replied, bored.

Fuuko gave a small smile, then asked, "Er… did I say anything… weird?"

It was Tokiya's turn to grin. "What do you think?"

Fuuko was aghast. Looking at Tokiya's knowing face, she realised she must have blurted out everything while she was drunk. She began to blush as she felt the embarrassment. One glance at Tokiya's grinning face and she looked down.

Tokiya was amused. Deep inside, Fuuko was just a normal girl after all. But to see her actually blushing and embarrassed was something else. Right there, Tokiya made a choice. He reached out for Fuuko's hand, causing her to look at him. Their eyes met.

Under the moonlight, the silhouette of two figures looking at one another could be seen. Words were not exchanged. There was no need. They had each other, and that was enough.

-----

Author's notes: Remember Shifty Eyes and Crooked Nose from chapter two? Heh. Anyway, Shinya was Fuuko's childhood friend from the manga, for those who did not know.


	10. Dedication

Chapter 9 - Dedication

One and a half years have passed since Tokiya and Fuuko began seeing each other exclusively. The reactions of their friends were hilarious when they found out. Recca's eyes bulged out as he started to say something nasty. Yanagi promptly clamped his hand over his mouth, smiled sweetly and wished Fuuko good luck, then glaring at Recca back. He shut up. Domon, on the other hand, ran away crying about how the ice man had stolen Fuuko away from him. He was so traumatised that he cried for three whole months. In the end, he want to another city, working as a wrestler.

Of course, it was not all smooth sailing. Shinya was a huge problem, and bugged Tokiya for months. She got the hint in the end. Other than that, everything was relatively peaceful. It was also rather awkward for the both of them, as they had never been in a relationship before. They had their quarrelsome moments but always made up. They genuinely wanted to try their best to make their relationship work, so everything went well.

Anyway, it was that time of the year. Fuuko's birthday. Making a few phone calls, Tokiya was busy planning for it. For Tokiya, love for something new to him. For most of his life, he lived for revenge and nothing else. After meeting Fuuko and the rest of the Hokage, something changed in him. He knew that he was different. Emotions he thought lost was now coming back. He could see how hard Fuuko tried to be part of his life. In many ways, Tokiya was the passive one of the two. Fuuko loved him deeply, always trying her best to make him happy.

Putting down the phone, Tokiya told himself that he would make Fuuko happy. On her birthday, at the very least. He hoped that Fuuko would like what he had planned. Thinking about her, he smiled.

----------

Fuuko was in a panic.

Tokiya was picking her up in half an hour's time and she had not decided which dress to wear. Plus she had to do her hair. Not to mention makeup.

Fretting, she went into top speed mode, trusting her instincts and randomly selecting a dress from her small collection. A year ago, she would not even have thought of wearing a dress. Thanks to the power of love, everything has changed. The way she saw Tokiya was different from other people. He was extremely good looking, which is a fact, but deep inside, there was a profound sadness. It was something that Fuuko, with her happy-go-lucky personality found hard to understand. And it drove her to try to understand Tokiya more.

Patiently, she managed to melt the ice piece by piece. She knew that she could not change Tokiya totally, being like this for too long, but she at least brought out a side of Tokiya that no one could see.

Quickly, she made use of her time and managed, though barely, to make herself presentable. She was applying the finishing touches to her hair when the doorbell rang. Fuuko put on a dazzling smile and opened the door to greet Tokiya.

As usual, Tokiya was in perfect condition. Hair, clothes, everything.

_How in the world does he manage to look so good every time? _Fuuko wondered. This was something she still could not figure out.

"Ready to go?" Tokiya asked.

Smiling, Fuuko took his hand.

----------

The restaurant was a posh place. The atmosphere was great, the food was good. Fuuko was enjoying herself thoroughly.

"Enjoying yourself?" Tokiya asked.

"Yup! This place is great!" Fuuko replied, looking around.

"That's good," Tokiya said with a small grin. "Anyway, I have a surprise for you,"

Tokiya quickly got up and walked away before Fuuko could get a reply in. Wondering what the surprise was, she heard the soft croon of music.

She saw that the live band has begun to play, and that Tokiya was holding a microphone. Winking at Fuuko, Tokiya started to sing.

_You'll never know what you've done for me_

_What your faith in me has done for my soul_

Fuuko was surprised. She never knew that Tokiya could sing!

_You'll never know the gift you've given me_

_I'll carry it with me_

_Through the days ahead I think of days before_

_You made me hope for something better _

_And made me reach for something more_

Tokiya managed a smile at Fuuko before continuing.

_You taught me to run_

_You taught me to fly_

_Helped me to free the me inside_

_Helped me hear the music of my heart_

_Helped me hear the music of my heart_

_You've opened my eyes_

_You've opened the door_

_To something I've never known before_

_And your love…_

_Is the music of my heart_

Fuuko was trying hard not to cry. She was extremely touched by Tokiya's heartfelt words.

_What you taught me_

_Only your love could ever teach me_

_You got through where no one could reach me before_

_Cause you always saw in me_

_All the best that I could be_

_It was you who set me free_

Fuuko could not take it anymore. Her tears started to flow.

_You taught me to run_

_You taught me to fly_

_Helped me to free the me inside_

_Helped me hear the music of my heart_

_Helped me hear the music of my heart_

Signalling to the musicians, Tokiya continued singing the rest of the song one key higher.

_You taught me to run_

_You taught me to fly_

_Helped me to free the me inside_

_Helped me hear the music of my heart_

_Helped me hear the music of my heart_

_You've opened my eyes_

_You've opened the door_

_To something I've never known before_

_And your love…_

_Is the music of my heart_

_Is the music of my heart_

Receiving a large bouquet of roses from the restaurant manager, Tokiya walked down the stage to rapturous applause. Presenting the flowers to Fuuko, he simply said, "Happy birthday."

Amidst the tears in her eyes, Fuuko gave him the sweetest smile that he had ever seen.

Both of them knew that they were inseparable. For this moment, at least.

----------

Author's notes: Well, this is the end. My version of this song, Music of my Heart, was sung by Gloria Estefan and N'sync.

Disclaimer: The song, Music of my Heart does not belong to me. I am merely borrowing it, as with the cast of Flame of Recca, which belongs to Noboyuki Anzai.


End file.
